Case Closed
by The Countess of Monte Cristo
Summary: Set directly after the Chapter Back saga, this is a one-shot featuring a conversation about the video tape in question as well as closure after a very trying case.


_A/N Just a warning, very mild shonen-ai. It's nothing to shake a stick at really and can be interpreted as friendship if you so choose, but this one shot is very similar to my other story Night Visitor in mood._

The darkly clad figure reclined against the tall oak, staring contemplatively at the video tape clutched in his hand. It was a warm summer evening, still and quiet. A gentle breeze caressed his frame and lulled him into a tranquil state. He had been sitting there, sun warming his face, since he awoke, barley moving. He had found the tape in his cloak pocket upon waking, its bulky mass stabbing him in the side. The detective had kept his word.

He had been searching for this film for over half his existence, yet now that he had it, he felt hollow. Within this plastic case held the unspeakable atrocities that humans had committed against their own and demonkind. His heart had burned with rage over the foul humans and their despicable nature, and he sought out the film that would prove their unworthiness to exist with a single minded determination. He would find his vindication within this small, black box…

"Feh," Hiei muttered to himself. This time spent in the human world must have made him weak. Why did he hesitate? He no longer felt the longing to look upon the crimes of humanity. Could he actually have begun to care for the inhabitants of this word? He snorted derisively to himself. He was starting to sound like Kurama.

No sooner had that thought crossed his mind than he felt the demon in question's familiar energy. He felt the slender redhead lean against the tree next to him, hesitatingly. This gave Hiei pause. Kurama was the only one, human or demon, that was never tentative about approaching him.

"I wondered if _you'd_ just dump me here," he said softly. He said it with no bite, certain the fox had his reasons. In light of his reluctance to approach, Hiei felt the desire to reassure him. He chuckled darkly to himself. The compassionate fox had indeed worn off on him. He heard his companion heave a huge sigh then slide down the tree, coming to rest beside him. Kurama paused, no doubt taken aback by the lack of heat in his voice.

"You came back." He said it simply, and Hiei knew he was referring to him coming to Yusuke's aide, to all their aide, for he had not chosen to return to human world… would he have come back if he had been given the choice? Hiei shook his head as if to clear it of that line of thought. It was no use dwelling on concerns that did not matter. What was done was done.

"You sound surprised." He stated mildly, turning slightly to look at his fair companion. Kurama's pools of emerald scorched him like fire, in stark contrast to the calming waters they resembled. He was staring intently at the half Koorime, trying desperately to catch every nuance of his reactions. Reading him and analyzing him. Hiei turned abruptly away from the probing gaze. Kurama had the uncanny ability to make anyone, even hardened demons, feel small and insignificant, as if they were mere test subjects in one of the cunning redhead's experiments.

"Less than a year ago you were bent on world domination…now you are humanity's protector. Could it be that the great and evil Hiei who once dreamt of humanity's destruction would be sad to see it end?" He said this calmly enough, even blandly, no inflection in his lilting alto, but Hiei could hear the underlying emotions his friend held in check. It only confirmed his suspicions. Ever since the incident with that foolish boy in the cave, Kurama's cool and collected demeanor was cracked. His emotions threatened to flood out of him. Killing the child had been the breach in the dam of his control. Seeing Yusuke fall had forced that crack to spread, branching out into a web of thin fissures until the entire dam itself was nothing but a pattern of intricate latticework. One swift blow to the dam would cause it to shatter, and his serene best friend would lose himself to the chaos of his complex and rebelling mind.

Not wishing to exacerbate this problem or force Kurama into a war he was not ready for, he worded his answer carefully. He bit back what would have been his usual disdainful and scathing response. Besides, Kurama could see through his defensive retorts. The truth was all Kurama would ever accept from him, and Hiei would give the truth only to him.

"I don't truly know how I feel about this realm. It has been my prison for so long…perhaps I've succumb to that idiotic human mental illness Stockholm Syndrome," he replied part in jest but part in earnest.

Kurama's eyes sparkled making them look more like the brilliant emeralds they resembled. "Of course it's natural for you to want to protect the world in which your sister resides."

Hiei sighed. He still didn't get it.

"For a genius, Kurama, you sure can be stupid sometimes. You live here as well." Upon hearing this, Kurama began to bite his bottom lip in a very beguiling manner. Not for the first time Hiei became acutely aware of just how beautiful the willowy and fiery-haired fighter was. He quickly banished such thoughts from his head. It was too much to hope for such a perfect, loving person to care that way about the Forbidden Child. He was constantly suppressing the small part of him that still believed he would be abandoned by the capricious fox. It still shocked him how long he had stayed by his side. But time was irrelevant; everyone cast him aside given enough of it.

"Are you telling me you care…?" Kurama's control must really be slipping, for Hiei heard the note of barely suppressed longing and sadness behind his careful words. Hiei blinked in surprise at what he heard in his friend's voice. Could he actually…? But that thought was buried under his contemplation of Kurama's question. His heart nearly broke that after all they'd been through together, the fox still didn't believe Hiei cared about him. Perhaps his companion's emotional scars matched his own. Maybe that was what attracted Hiei to him. He felt he was a kindred spirit.

"You really didn't believe I'd come back, did you?" He said emotionlessly. He had to work hard to keep his voice carefully neutral. The knowledge that Kurama thought so little of him sent an unwilling stab of pain through him.

"It was hard for me to predict what you would do. At times I feel I know you best, but other times I realize just how little I really do. You never came to my window during that time, and I tried to find you, but you masked your energy from me. I had hoped but…it was such a struggle to get you to rescue Yusuke and then Kuwabara, and you had to be bribed to do both. It made me wonder if you would refuse if it was my life on the line instead…" Kurama faltered slightly at the end of his speech, voice softening to a barely audible whisper, shifting uneasily against the tree supporting him.

Hiei's eyes widened in shock. It was hurt that had caused Kurama to doubt him. In all his careful precautions to keep himself from becoming abandoned, he had become the one to do the abandoning. Relief and shame flooded through him in equal measure. He felt guilty, of course, that he had hurt his rather sentimental friend, but he couldn't deny he was relieved that Kurama did not think him heartless.

With surprising tenderness, Hiei turned and gently gripped his friend's chin, forcing him to look into his eyes. Jade orbs locked with his as he watched a small blush spread across delicate cheek bones. Hiei took a moment to admire the effect the flush had on his features as well as the petal soft feel of the skin underneath his fingertips, like the blossoms of the roses he so mirrored both in texture and color. The light crimson made his eyes brighter in contrast, their verdant depths shinning.

"Do not think for a moment that I would forsake you," he said with rare sincerity, his ruby eyes capturing the emerald ones. He let his stoic mask fall for just a moment allowing his friend to scrutinize him without his barriers in place before he released Kurama and turned away.

He felt a warm and gentle hand on his shoulder and turned to see a smile gracing his friends face. It was rare for him to smile so genuinely. Usual his small smiles did not reach his eyes, but this one did. His eyes glinted with true happiness and warmth as he looked at the dark demon before him. But suddenly the expressions darkened and his face fell as his eyes settled on what Hiei clutched in his hand.

"I see you have the infamous Chapter Black," he said with forced lightness, motioning carelessly to the tape. Hiei's had to tear his eyes away from the bewitching redhead to stare at the tape he had all but forgotten upon his sudden appearance. "One could only imagine what you could do with that. Thousands of hours of humanities darkest crimes, including what they did to demons, is captured on that film. Demons would pay a high price for this. You could spark a newer stronger rebellion. Or perhaps you would just keep it for yourself and watch it weekly. It is what you always wanted, isn't it? A concrete reason to hate all humans and justify anything you do?" Both his voice and his words were harsh as if daring the demon to contradict him. Hiei saw past the goading, however. He could read the barely contained disapproval…and below that the worry.

"Hn." Suddenly and without warning Hiei tossed the tape into the air. Unsheathing his sword he slashed the video into three sad and broken pieces. "Damn it, my sword must have slipped!"

He spared his stunned companion a satisfied smirk at the expression of pure shock on his face. It wasn't often that he was caught by surprise. Slowly the expression turned to one of admiration.

"Thank you," Kurama said with true affection warming his voice.

"I don't wish to hate all humans," Hiei admitted quietly. At this Kurama practically beamed before his face fell once again. This time it was an expression of sorrow that tainted his usually cheerful features.

"I'm sorry," he whispered quietly, averting his gaze, red hair falling to become a curtain obscuring his eyes. Hiei blinked at his friend, confused by his unusual behavior. _What could he mean?_

"For what?" Hiei asked seriously, trying to capture his sage gaze, but Kurama refused to look at him.

"It was my idea to bring you back here. It was inconsiderate of me. I knew how much you wished to return to your home…"

_Ah, that. _In truth, Hiei did not blame Kurama in the slightest for his return here. Grudgingly, he realized the only things that mattered to him were in this word. What did he have to return home to?

"Then why did you do it?" Hiei asked softly, curious rather than angry.

"Selfishness?" Kurama supplied, his voice low and uncertain. This answer caused him disconcertion.

"What on earth could you mean by that?" Hiei asked disdainfully, falling into the routine of masking confusion with scorn.

Kurama smiled wanly at the smaller demon and said self-deprecatingly, "I care a great deal for you, Hiei. It would sadden me if you were to suddenly disappear from my life."

Hiei started at the words and the genuine emotion that intertwined with them. Feeling cared for was a foreign concept to the relatively young demon. His whole life he had been cast out and abandoned by all those he had ever known. No one had ever shown him companionship or affection before. He thought back to when he had first met the fox. Hiei had mercilessly tried to kill the unsuspecting demon, and yet when he was injured during the fight his opponent, a perfect stranger (_and just how perfect he turned out to be_, he mused on a side note), had taken him to his home and healed him. This courtesy was unheard of in the demon plane; never before had anyone ever shown him kindness, and yet this demon did, without knowing who he was or what he wanted. Not only that but the demon became his first friend. There had been pain when he was betrayed for the Spirit Detective, certainly, for he had allowed his hardened heart to be softened by the charming fox, but that quickly faded when he realized the sacrifice Kurama had made to ensure his freedom. He thought of all the times he was forced to watch helplessly in anguish as Kurama nearly killed himself in so many battles…

The fox's window was always open to him, providing him food, shelter, and company. It was as if the warmth of his companion had melted his frozen heart and lit a fire within his soul. His words about truly caring about the demon gave him hope, gave him _worth_. He did not know why such a magnificent creature should come to care for one such as him, but he felt grateful for the first time to Fate who had been kind enough to give him this glorious gift.

Words seemed to fail the small demon as he felt the need to reciprocate Kurama's feelings but did not know how. Hiei opened his mouth as if to speak, but no words emerged.

Kurama took his silence gracefully, smiling winningly. "I hope you can forgive me for the decision I had no right to make. As it stands Koenma is in a bit of a quandary in Spirit World, so it would be wise of us considering our parole to lie low for a while. I suppose I'll see you later…" He stood languidly and loped away, leaving Hiei a slight emptiness in his heart at his absence

Hiei stretched out on the grass in an effort to regain some of the comfort that had fled with the fox. As he turned his head he noticed something on the grass beside him. He picked it up carefully, mindful of the thorns. In his wake Kurama had left an enchantingly vibrant rose, its coloring reminding him of the demon to whom it belonged. Crimson petals reminding him of a silky sheet of hair and green stem reminiscent of passionate, sparkling verdant eyes. Beautiful and dangerous as the demon that wielded it.


End file.
